


Meeting Steven

by AuraTheScribe



Series: Bringing Up Steven [1]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, Momswap AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-05
Updated: 2016-07-05
Packaged: 2018-07-21 16:53:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7395790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuraTheScribe/pseuds/AuraTheScribe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Greg is awash with anxiety as he prepares for the birth of his son, and the fact that it coincides with the loss of his greatest love only makes things worse.  He's not sure if he'll be able to keep it together when the day comes, but he knows that he has to try.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Meeting Steven

Greg wasn’t sure that he was ready to be a parent.

He felt horrible when he thought like that, but it was a thought that wouldn’t leave him alone. He and Rose had been planning this for the past nine months, and Vidalia had been giving him pointers based on her own parenting experience, but despite all of that, his anxiety remained at the forefront of his mind.

He supposed that it was the knowledge that he was going to be in charge of raising a living being, which was something that was completely new for him. He had kept a goldfish as a pet when he was a kid, but it had only lived for a couple of weeks, so that didn’t exactly give him confidence. In more relevant experience, he had watched Sour Cream for Vidalia a few times when she needed the help, but that was only for a couple of hours at a time at the most. Besides, Rose had always been there to help him when that happened.

Rose. That was what was hurting Greg the most about this whole ordeal. He was having a son with her, and she wouldn’t be around to see him grow up. She had explained that she would have to give up her form in order for their son to be born. Greg understood once she informed him of all the details involved but still… he was losing the woman he loved, and his son would never get to meet her. Not only that, but she was the biggest part of Greg’s life. He had no idea what he would do without her.

When Rose took a day to be with the Gems and make sure they all understood what was going to happen, Greg went shopping for baby supplies with Vidalia. Once again, he made his worries about fatherhood known to her.

“I’m just scared is all.” He said as picked up some bottles. “I’m just a community college dropout that lives in a van. How am I supposed to take care of a kid?”

“Greg, listen…” Vidalia said, placing a box of formula in her distressed friend’s cart. “You’re a great guy, and you’ve got great friends. You’ll find a way. Besides, you’re great with kids. You’re Sour Cream’s favorite babysitter, remember?”

“Yeah, I know…” Greg still seemed unsure. “It’s just gonna be tough without Rose around.”

Vidalia put a hand on Greg’s shoulder. “I know how you feel. It sucks losing someone you’re close to, but I know you’re strong enough to pull through it. And if you need any more motivation, then there’s only one thing you need to keep in mind.”

Greg cocked an eyebrow. “What’s that?

“Your son.” She said simply. “And how he deserves the best freaking dad in the world.”

Greg didn’t really have much to say in response, although Vidalia did give him a lot to think about. He couldn’t afford to keep wallowing in self-pity. Once his son was born, he would need a dad, and Greg needed to be able to do whatever he could for him. With that in mind, he found his voice again.

“Yeah, I get it.”

The rest of their errand was spent making small talk. Greg learned that things were getting pretty serious between Vidalia and her boyfriend, Yellowtail. The two had just gotten engaged, and were planning to get married by summertime. She assured him that the wedding was going to be casual, but Greg made a mental note to look for a nice set of clothes, or at least something nicer than usual. After all, it would be a special occasion, and he wanted to make an effort.

Once the last of the supplies were loaded into Greg’s van, the two said their goodbyes and parted ways. Greg was left to make the drive home alone with his thoughts. Since the radio was on the fritz, he couldn’t even use music to distract himself. He had no choice but to dwell on all of the things bouncing about his mind as the due date approached. Vidalia’s encouraging words helped a bit, but it was just a drop in the bucket compared to all of Greg’s lingering worries.

A few weeks later, the time finally came.

Rose lay on a mattress in the back office of the car wash, with Greg and the Gems gathered around her. Greg didn’t know if the Gems came of their own accord or because Rose had wanted them there, but it was clear to him that none of them were very happy. Peridot and Lapis were smiling, but their cheery looks seemed forced, although Rose either didn’t notice or was too polite to mention it. Jasper was even more obvious, since she made no attempt to seem happy about the situation and just looked uncomfortable. Greg couldn’t help but feel sympathy for them. By the end of the night, someone they loved would be leaving them. He understood their plight, because he would be feeling the same pain.

The process was nothing like what Greg had expected. In movies and on TV, births were always tense affairs that involved a lot of screaming. Heck, Vidalia had joked that she probably blew out the doctor’s eardrums when Sour Cream was born. But Rose was completely serene throughout the whole affair, and held gentle conversations with Greg and the Gems as she waited for her son to arrive, although most of those conversations consisted of her convincing the Gems that they would be fine without her.

This went on for a few hours before Rose interrupted a line of questioning with two words that brought the room to a halt.

“He’s coming”

“What?” A frazzled Peridot exclaimed after a moment of silence. “Y-you mean right now?”

“Is there nothing you can do?” Lapis joined in. “We still have so much to ask!”

Jasper said nothing in response, although Greg picked up on her sending a sorrowful look in Rose’s direction.

“It’s time. There’s nothing I can do about it.” Rose responded calmly. “Thank you all for being here with me.”

Greg held Rose’s hand as he looked into her eyes for what was definitely the last time. “Rose...” He choked out through his slowly-constricting throat. “… I love you.”

Rose didn’t respond verbally, although she smiled at him and kept her gaze on him for a few more seconds before closing her eyes. She looked as though she were at rest rather than in the process of creating a new life form. The image of how peaceful she looked in these final moments was ingrained in Greg’s mind. 

Moments after she closed her eyes for the final time, Rose’s entire form began to glow. At first it was a gentle aura, but it slowly grew in intensity until she became blindingly bright. Greg used his free hand to shield his eyes from the burst of radiance. While he did so, he felt Rose’s hand slip out of his own, as though it had evaporated right in his grasp.

Once the bright light was gone, Greg moved his arm away from his face. On the other side of the mattress, he saw Peridot and Lapis do the same. Jasper was no longer present. Apparently she had left once Rose began glowing. Greg assumed that the stress of the situation had become too much for her to deal with. He didn’t really blame her, though. He had so much on his mind, he felt as though he may pass out at any moment.

Greg and the remaining Gems turned their attention to the mattress where Rose had been laying just a minute ago. There was no trace of the tall, pink-haired warrior that they had known. Instead, a small, dark-haired baby was sleeping in the center of the mattress. The three immediately noticed the most outstanding feature of the boy, a familiar pink gem stationed in his abdomen.

“Rose’s gem!” Lapis whispered in shock.

The child began to stir, making the Gems uncomfortable. Peridot and Lapis took a few steps away from the mattress. However, Greg stayed where he was. He took in everything that was happening. The love of his life had left him, and in her place, there was this boy, Rose’s final gift to the world.

The baby opened its eyes and looked right at Greg. For a moment, Greg swore that the child recognized him. The boy reached out a tiny arm, as though he were trying to get to Greg. The new dad gingerly picked up his son, carefully cradling him in his arms. As he did so, one thing pushed itself to the forefront of his mind. Amidst all of the worry, doubt, and confusion, the thing that fought its way to his conscious was what Vidalia had told him weeks ago at the department store.

_“He deserves the best freaking dad in the world.”_

As Greg smiled down at his son, the door to the office opened once more, with a large, guilty-looking gem coming into the room.

“I’m sorry.” Jasper stated, looking at the ground. “I just… I don’t know why…” Her attempts at an apology were fumbled, and she gave up on them rather quickly. “So, is Rose really…? She inquired, pointing to the mattress.

The three Gems looked to Greg, who was still holding the newborn. The child has fallen asleep once more in his arms, and as Greg looked at him, he could feel his mind clearing up. All of the fears that had plagued his mind for months seemed to be flushed out in one fell swoop. Now the only thing on his mind was a memory from a couple of months prior, when he and Rose were discussing baby names. He remembered one name that Rose had been particularly fond of…

“Guys,” Greg said gently, trying not to wake the sleeping baby. “Meet Steven.”


End file.
